Berkeley Ballet Theatre Inc

BERKELEY BALLET THEATER'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE RIGOROUS CLASSICAL BALLET TRAINING IN A DIVERSE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT TO STUDENTS OF ALL AGES AND TO ENRICH THE COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING THE JOY OF DANCE TO EVERYONE.

SCHOOL: PRE-BALLET DIVISION: DANCERS IN BBT'S PRE-BALLET DIVISION ARE INTRODUCED TO FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF DANCE TRAINING, INCLUDING: PHYSICAL MOVEMENT, CREATIVE PLAY, EXPLORATION OF RHYTHM AND SHAPE, AND SPATIAL AWARENESS. IN ADDITION, OUR YOUNG DANCERS LEARN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY BUILDING SKILLS, INCLUDING: TAKING TURNS, PATIENCE, LISTENING, FOCUS, SELF-RESPECT AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS. ALL OF THESE SKILLS ARE MEANT TO PREPARE OUR YOUNG DANCERS TO THRIVE AND GROW IN THEIR LOVE OF DANCE AS THEY MOVE ON TO THE INCREASINGLY RIGOROUS TRAINING PROVIDED IN THE YOUTH DIVISION. BBT?S PRE-BALLET DIVISION SERVES ABOUT 130 DANCERS AND FAMILIES FROM ACROSS THE BAY AREA. YOUTH DIVISION AND STUDIO COMPANY: BBT'S YOUTH DIVISION PROVIDES DANCERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY CLASSICAL BALLET IN A DISCIPLINED, PROFESSIONAL ATMOSPHERE THAT IS ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF EACH STUDENT'S UNIQUE TALENTS, PASSIONS, AND CREATIVE VOICE. DANCERS ATTEND CLASSES 2?5 DAYS PER WEEK DEPENDING ON PLACEMENT. AS DANCERS ADVANCE THROUGH THE LEVELS, THEY RECEIVE ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN: PILATES, MODERN, POINTE, BATTERIE, PAS DE DEUX, AND CONTEMPORARY CHOREOGRAPHY. DANCERS IN THE YOUTH DIVISION HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM IN BBT?S ANNUAL HOLIDAY PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER AS WELL AS THE SPRING PERFORMANCE SERIES. PARTICIPATION IS OPTIONAL AND REQUIRES ADDITIONAL REHEARSAL HOURS. BBT'S STUDIO COMPANY INVITES YOUTH DIVISION DANCERS IN LEVELS 7, 8, AND 9 TO SHARE THEIR LOVE OF DANCE WITH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH PERFORMANCES IN BBT'S ANNUAL PROGRAMMING AS WELL AS COLLABORATIONS WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS BERKELEY SYMPHONY, BAMPFA, SAN FRANCISCO GIRLS CHORUS AND KRONOS QUARTET. BBT?S ADULT OPEN DIVISION OFFERS MANY CLASSES EACH WEEK, FROM INTRODUCTORY TO ADVANCED/PROFESSIONAL LEVEL. EACH CLASS IS LEAD BY A MEMBER OF BBT?S CELEBRATED FACULTY AND MANY CLASSES HAVE LIVE ACCOMPANIMENT. BBT OFFERS MORE THAN 25 ADULT OPEN DIVISION CLASSES EACH WEEK AND RUNS YEAR-ROUND. SCHOLARSHIP AND OUTREACH: BBT PROVIDES MORE THAN $80,000 OF TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR DANCERS AND FAMILIES IN NEED OF SUPPORT TO PURSUE TRAINING.

POST:BALLET: THE OFFICIAL COMPANY OF BERKELEY BALLET THEATER, POST:BALLET IS A CONTEMPORARY DANCE COLLECTIVE DEDICATED TO PUSHING BALLET FORWARD, PULLING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, AND PLAYING WITH MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTISTS TO EXPLORE "WHAT'S NEXT" FOR BALLET. THE COMPANY PERFORMS LIVE AND IN CONTEMPORARY DANCE FILMS.

DANCE FOR PD? ORIGINATED AS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP AND THE BROOKLYN PARKINSON GROUP, A CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL PARKINSON FOUNDATION. THE DANCE FOR PD? TEACHING METHOD IS BUILT ON ONE FUNDAMENTAL PREMISE: PROFESSIONALLY-TRAINED DANCERS ARE MOVEMENT EXPERTS WHOSE KNOWLEDGE IS USEFUL TO PERSONS WITH PD. DANCE FOR PD PROVIDES FREE, TWICE-WEEKLY CLASSES FOR PEOPLE AFFECTED BY PARKINSON?S DISEASE AND THEIR CARE GIVERS.